A xoops website is created around a basic installation consisting of a simple plain page with a banner and a login block. The initial login allows site creators,(admins) to access a private administration section where all the site settings, customisation, module and theme installations take place. This is colectively known as the core installation. This is not an out-of-the-box website. You need to construct your site by adding modules, blocks, themes and settings. These are all totally intergrated seamlessly into the core installation. For a visual view of this please download A Visual Introduction to Xoops